If you would like to see information about a particular case or find out about a hearing date, click here to visit our public access DOMAIN website. However, you will not be able to look up information about certain cases that are confidential, including cases involving adoptions, mental health issues and custody petitions for parents who have not married.

How to file for a divorceDivorce can be complicated. We encourage you to talk to a family law lawyer so you will know about your legal rights and the legal issues in your case. This section gives you information on:

Do it yourselfYou can buy self-help divorce books and legal forms at book stores, stationery stores or printing companies. Most of the books have all the forms you need. Remember: The forms change often. You must use the most current forms.

Download forms from the internet.

Download the Alameda County Superior Court Local Rules for Family Law

Get a self-help divorce book

Download the California Family Code.

Review the Divorce section of the California Courts Self-Help Center

Visit the Self-Help Center at one of the courthouses throughout Alameda County

MediationIf you and your spouse have reached an agreement or think you can come to an agreement about some or all of the issues in your case, consider using mediation.

Mediation is voluntary. A neutral person (called a mediator) helps the parties come to an agreement on the issues in your case.

You and your spouse control the pace of the process

Your case is confidential

Your agreement is more likely to reflect a compromise

Your agreement can address your specific needs and concerns

There is little court involvement

People are more likely to follow the terms of a mediated agreement than a court-imposed order.

To mediate about custody and visitation issues, you can work with a mediator from the Court's Custody Mediation office once you have been given a court date.

You may also hire a private mediator. There is a fee to do private mediation. Look up "Attorneys-Mediation" on the Internet or in the yellow pages of your telephone book.

For information about the Court's mediation services, contact the Child Custody Mediation Services office through the information listed here.

Children and divorceResearch tells us that children of separated or divorced parents do better if both parents stay actively involved in their children's lives.

Remember: Conflict is not good for your children. The way you and the other parent act affects them. The more you and the other parent can deal with each other without conflict, the better it will be for your children.

How to finish your divorce, legal separation, or annulmentDeclarations of DisclosureThe law says you must give your husband or wife information about your income, expenses, things you own and money you owe (even if you do not own anything or owe any money). This is called "disclosure."

The first disclosure you make is called the "Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure." You have to do this before you can finish your divorce, legal separation, or annulment. Sometimes you also have to make a second, final disclosure.

You must complete and file the necessary court forms to get your divorce judgment. This does not happen automatically.

Laws about Legal Separation and Annulment are different from divorce laws. Please talk to a lawyer or contact the Family Law Facilitator for help.

You can get a judgment by:

Default (when the other party does not respond),

Written agreement or

Trial

Remember: You cannot get divorced just by filing a motion.

Most divorce cases fall into one of these categories:

DefaultIf the other party does not answer the court papers ("defaults"), then you can get a default judgment by:

Written agreementIf you and your spouse have an agreement on all issues in your divorce ("uncontested"), you can write up and file your agreement by:

Hiring a lawyer to write it for you, or

Reading a self-help book, or

Hiring a legal document preparer

Trial (contested divorce, legal separation, or annulment)Sometimes it is not possible to come to an agreement with your spouse. There may be issues where you disagree or your spouse may refuse to finalize the divorce. If you cannot come to an agreement outside of court, a judge will decide the issues in your case at a trial.

If this is your situation, you should speak to a lawyer. A family law attorney can tell you about important legal rights and may be able represent you in trial, if you want. Know your rights before you finish your divorce or you may lose those rights forever.

Here are the steps you need to take to finish your contested divorce.

Step 1: File your "Request for Status Conference to Set Case for Trial" form with the Court (Local Form ALA FL-050)As soon as you are ready to finalize your divorce and set a court hearing, and you have filed the Declaration Regarding Service of Declaration of Disclosure and Income and Expense Declaration (FL-141) you may file a "Request for Status Conference to Set Case for Trial" form. Have someone who is at least 18 years of age and not involved in your case mail a copy of the form to your spouse or their lawyer. The person who mails the form must then sign the Proof of Service on the back of the form and return it to you.

Step 2: Set a Status Conference hearing dateAfter the Court receives your "Request for Status Conference to Set Case for Trial" form, a notice of the date and time the Status Conference hearing is scheduled will mailed you and your spouse . You and your spouse must go to court for the Status Conference hearing and if your case does not settle, you must go to court for a Settlement Conference. If your case does not settle at the Settlement Conference, you must return to court for a trial.

Before coming to court for the Status Conference, prepare a "Status Conference Questionnaire" (Local Form ALA FL-041). (Local Rule 5.45) Before coming to court for the Settlement Conference, prepare a "Settlement Conference Statement." The Settlement Conference Statement gives a detailed and thoroughly documented explanation of your issue(s). You will also list the issues that you agree on and the issues where you do not agree.

You must bring the original documents and two (2) copies of the Status Conference to the Clerk's Office at least four (4) days before the hearing to file them. You must also serve your spouse at least four (4) days before the Status Conference hearing and file the proof of service showing you had them served.

Step 3: Your Status Conference At the Status Conference, the judge will review the status of the case, your discovery plans, your progress toward settlement, and any outstanding issues. The judge may make orders for whatever actions permitted by law that would tend to promote a just and efficient disposition of the case.

Step 4: Your Settlement Conference The Settlement Conference is a chance to tell the judge which issues you have settled and which issues you still do not agree on. If you and your spouse have reached an agreement on all the issues at the Settlement Conference, the judge may grant your divorce at this hearing and you will avoid returning to court for trial.

Step 5: Your TrialIf your case goes to trial, the judge will tell you at the Settlement Conference which issues will be heard at trial, how long you will get to present your case, and which witnesses will be allowed. You must follow the trial policies of the department where your trial is scheduled.

Step 6: Your JudgmentWhether you come to an agreement outside of court, at one of the court proceedings, or if your case is heard and decided by a judge, you must prepare the following documents:

For the amount owed for copying and mailing court documents as well as the correct mailing address, please contact the Family Law Clerk's Office. There is an additional charge for a certified copy. If you do not know the divorce case number, there will be a small charge to look this up. Please provide as much information as you can in your request. This will help the clerk do a thorough search and get you the information you need.